Mark Penn's Playbook for McCain

By Dan Balz
If John McCain's campaign were looking for strategic advice for the fall campaign against Barack Obama, they could click on the Atlantic Monthly's web site. There they will find a raft of memos from Mark Penn, Hillary Clinton's chief strategist, outlining possible ways to try to defeat the presumptive Democratic nominee.

The memos, dug up by the enterprising Joshua Green and accompanying an article chronicling the demise of Clinton's campaign, are drawing attention in large measure for what they reveal about the dysfunctionality of the New York senator's operation. They are equally revealing for what they say about the direction Penn wanted to take the Clinton message and the risks inherent for McCain if he and his campaign were to pursue the same path.

Penn was always the biggest hawk in Clinton's campaign, always the one who advocated going negative against Obama. The day after Clinton won primaries in Ohio and Texas, Penn called for drawing a sharp contrast with Obama along the following lines:

"He is just words and she is a lifetime of action.... She is the one who is ready to fill the big shoes of this job and he is an inspiring speaker who isn't, and whose background you are beginning to wonder about. She has brought real results and even his words today are in doubt, invented for a campaign. Ultimately he cannot win against John McCain."

Clinton's campaign, he argued, "must now in earnest show that their image of Obama Camelot is simply nothing but campaign pitter-patter."

At the end of March 30, he wrote an even more pointed memo arguing that Obama needed to be "vetted" on Rev. Jeremiah Wright, on his ties to the corrupt Tony Rezko, on his record in the Illinois and U.S. Senates.

"Does anyone believe it is possible to win the nomination without, over these two months, raising all these issues against him?" Penn wrote. "A 'nice' campaign that wins the states alone that can be won -- will that be enough or do serious issues have to raised about him?"

None of these were new positions for Penn. A year earlier, on March 19, 2007, Penn portrayed Obama as lacking roots to basic American values and being a phony -- although he was more tentative in how the campaign ought to approach those topics.

Penn was particularly struck by what he regarded as "a very strong weakness" for Obama -- "his roots to basic American values and culture are at best limited. I cannot imagine America electing a president during a time of war who is not at his center fundamentally American in his thinking and in his values."

But then he worried about how the Clinton campaign could draw a contrast on this without sounding negative. "We are never going to say anything about his background -- we have to show the value of ours when it comes to making decisions, understanding the needs of most Americans -- the invisible Americans."

Penn's solution? "Let's explicitly own 'American' in our programs, the speeches and the values. He doesn't," he wrote. "Make this a new American Century, the American Strategic Energy fund. Let's use our logo to make some flags we can give out. Let's add flag symbols to the backgrounds."

Clinton's campaign never did quite become the flag-waving, patriotic operation that Penn envisioned in March 2007, nor did she ever go as overtly negative as Penn was preaching in March and April 2008. Would she be the nominee if she had? And can McCain win the presidency if he -- carefully -- pursues a similar path?

Clinton's risk, often cited by Penn's opponents inside the campaign, was that attacking Obama directly would only heighten negative impressions of her. She carried plenty of baggage as a polarizing politician. Taking on Obama would have added to that baggage. Others in the Clinton high command preferred to try to portray her as more human. They did not think she needed to look more like a warrior.

Earlier this year, the McCain campaign, presumably unknowingly, adopted some of Penn's provocative 2007 playbook with an ad that talked about the presumptive GOP nominee as "the American president Americans have been waiting for."

That was even less subtle in invoking a cultural values argument against Obama than Penn's suggestion to Clinton that she always tell audiences she was "born in the middle of America" and to talk about "the deeply American values you grew up with."

Ironically, the most provocative of the Penn memo's posted by the Atlantic -- the one that talks about Obama's lack of roots in American values -- went nowhere. "I don't remember there being a real discussion about this," Howard Wolfson, who was the campaign's communications director and who often differed with Penn on strategy, said Tuesday. "It was universally rejected, and in fairness to Mark, I don't think Mark pushed it.... It's one of those things people heard and said, 'That's not a good idea'."

McCain's campaign appears to have less hesitation than Clinton's did in going after Obama. For the past few weeks they have run a series of negative ads -- some humorous, some not so -- that portray Obama as a famous but empty suit who is wrong on many of the issues Americans care most about.

The ads, at a minimum, may be getting under Obama's skin. It's possible they are doing real damage. Penn seems to believe that, based on what he wrote for the Politico. "Fair or not, as advertising it did its job," he said.

Just how far the McCain campaign will pursue this strategy isn't yet clear. There are risks for him, just as there were for Clinton. Obama has proven over this long campaign to be a difficult target to hit -- at least on anything more than an occasional basis. So the mileage may be limited long term.

More fundamentally, McCain risks damaging his own reputation as a politician who has eschewed the politics of negativity. But what was considered out of bounds in the context of a Democratic primary campaign may be less so in a general election race, in which other voters come into play. McCain will have to make some difficult judgments about this in the final 83 days.

Hilary Clinton will finally have her due as she stands for Nomination at the might Democratic Convention. Finally we will be able to prove to the world that here is a woman that is ready to lead at 3AM in the morning... Hilary 08

Realize that fuel prices didn't skyrocket until after the democrats controlled congress. Now whose policies are those again. Who controls the purse strings? Who has authorized the war? I realize Barry was against the war but wasn't that because he's on the other side?

Hahahahha I read the last 20 of these comments, . . . and unfortunately, realize we have a nation of morons. NO wonder bush , despite his illegal machinations in the first term, was RE-elected. And now they are clamoring for ultra moron mccain to be electd . . . . get this straight, no obama? then it will be mccain, not hilary , . . . dummmy's.

Exactly. It's time for McCain to rev up the attack machine and start talking about all those questionable characters in Obama's background. People like Rev. Wright, and Father Pfleger who make Obama look like what he is--dangerous and extreme.

I love the expression coined by www.notwrightforamerica.com that Obama is not WRIGHT for America. McCain should go with it!

"More fundamentally, McCain risks damaging his own reputation as a politician who has eschewed the politics of negativity. But what was considered out of bounds in the context of a Democratic primary campaign may be less so in a general election race, in which other voters come into play. McCain will have to make some difficult judgments about this in the final 83 days."

More fundamentally, Obama is out of bounds, has been, will continue to be so. Denver has a suprise waiting for him and all the media set up to crown him. The stadium will be empty because he will not be the nominee. Only 50-100 Superdelegates need to sign the petition to back up Clinton's request to be on the ballot for a real roll call vote. As that happens, he will not have enough votes to take the nomination. He has become an embarassment to the DNC.

John McCain's advertising is not negative if it points out any of the many details of Obama's mistakes and missteps since believing he will be the nominee when enough UNELECTED superdelegates, some of whom paid by Obama's pac after their endorsements, some of whose districts voted for Clinton, caused him to be the PRESUMED candidate. He does not have hard choices now; he can duplicate what millions of bloggers and voters who do not want Obama have communicated already.

Obama has tried to throw 18 million voters under the bus; all McCain has to do is sit back and watch him and the DNC implode under their own arrogance. Then maybe sweep up a few pieces left lying around. Runing against Obama is relatively easy; he has and will continue to shoot self in foot.

The serious problem, decisions McCain will have to make is not about Obama but about Clinton if shetakes the nomination. Then there will be a real contest.

Wake up and smell the roses that have been blooming on the grassroots anti Obama/DNC debacle. JustSayNoDeal.com et al.

Barack said those lying, war-mongering, corporate lackey, elitist, racist jerks would try to run a negative campaign against him.

He was right.

Here's a bit of "comparative" campaign perspective that Barack would like you to consider:

"McCain=Bush, McCain=Bush, McCain=Bush, McCain=Bush. I made a speech against the war before I voted for the war some 80+ times. I was against telecom immunity before I was for it. I was a liberal before I was a moderate. I was a racial candidate before I was a post-racial candidate. I was for corruption before I was against it (congress can no longer work during lunch!?). I was for public financing before I was against it. I was for campaign finance transparency before I forgot to insure it got implemented in a timely fashion. I was a citizen of the US before I was a citizen of the world."

Pick one brand of same old cr@p or the other. Who cares. Just make sure the mute button on your remote is in working order for the next 4 years.

Doesn't knowing someone's strategy beforehand kind of render it moot? Part of an effective attack is the element of surprise. If anything, Mcain would look stupid if he followed the playbook. Didn't Obama say last week that they were going to try to paint me as not American enough? Too me it will make McCain seem like a puppet to use these tactics. Time for both to talk about the issues and kill the personal attacks. Besides, Hillary DID use a great deal of these campaign tricks and she still lost 18 million to 18 million and 1. Last I saw, many of her campaign cronies are now working for FOX so these "leaked" memos are no surprise either.

Obama is nothing other than a Black demon and if the truth is known he will lose.
====================================

Black demons, what is this, a cartoon episode. Are you tapping from under your bed because that would be the boogy man. But Thank you oxy-contin breath for the honesty thing and the ultimate truth thing you threw in as a bonus. Lets hope that this very public board does not get you committed for your wingnut visions. Think of the children.

yes Courtney... so join us in using wit and fun and play with the racists. People of exceptional value to the movement just give up at the site of Johnny Reb and others who say, this could be fun. Nothing on tv anyway, lets play with the repugs. Anyway... it's cathartic to capture a cliche' of the moment.

Barry Hussein Obama does not speak well unless he has a teleprompter. When he said that he "Speaks Good" he showed that he did not have the King's English in total grasp. He should have said, " I Speak Well or I am a Good Speaker". Obama is nothing other than a Black demon and if the truth is known he will lose.

Courtney, If it is any consolation please know three things: first, things are better now in America than they have ever been, in terms of race relations; second, things are better here in America than many, if not, most industrial nations; and, third, perhaps most importantly, not everyone here in America is racist. There are a good many of us who are bleeding heart liberals because we know what this country, and its people, are capable of. Politicians have used race to divide the lower and middle classes and create a smokescreen so that their lying and stealing would go unnoticed. But, and you may have noticed, there's a new sheriff about to roll into DC. Change is in the air.

You want to know what really stinks about this? Mark Penn doesn't so much as breath without the Clinton's permission, so you know Hillary and Bill are behind the record release, behind Penn's comments, the whole works. I think these fools actually believe, that after this, especially if they succeed in derailing the Obama campaign, that Democrats will somehow reward them with the nomination in 2012... or, maybe they are delussional enough to think they can snatch the nomination at the convention this time around. Either way, I cannot imagine any Democrat, much less any rational voter, even considering voting for Hillary after this. As for Hillary's Hags, those ancient crones left over from 1960's Bolshevik feminism, you people are just plain nuts. No young voter, no mainstream Democrat, will ever again blindly support one of your "women's issues" . I know, the looney old crones that still support Hillary don't care about "choice" any longer (and we would require a permit before allowing them to breed anyhow) but consider Affirmative Action and defining "female" as a protected class. Now, under the Bush-McCain economy you can pretty much expect the economy to end up in the toilet; McCain's insane support for more outsourcing will provide the "flush" that will dry up jobs and tax revenues, leading to plenty of layoffs in those cushy government jobs you lard b*tts occupy. If people, men and women of color, those people who actually need a hand up, were fired after you and hired before you, a whole lot of Hillary's Hags would end up on food stamps. Personally, I'm sick of your whining and attacks. Let others in the Obama camp try and make you feel better. For my part, I wish you to drop dead.

Reading these comments makes me so sad. I've spent my whole life pursuing the American dream, working hard in school, delaying personal wants to achieve my goal. 30 years and two doctoral degrees later, I read these comments and think that nothing we as African Americans do will ever allow us to be welcomed into the American fold. No matter how smart, accomplished, or deserving we may be, we will always be -- to some -- outsiders.

Further, when I think that my infant son, so beautiful and innocent, in a few years will frighten (white) people as he walks down the street, simply because of his skin color, I want to cry. And he, with two doctors as parents, the product of a solidly upper class upbringing. I weep for this country...

And would you Idiots stop already with the Hillary nonsense? She lost but yet so many Idiots suggest that Obama step aside and let her be the nominee and its silly.You think that fool would have stepped aside and allowed Obama to have the nomination if the roles were reversed? Again, White Supremacists can't grasp that a Black man simply was SUPERIOR to these White Tigers and so they want the Black man to defer to them and again its stupid stop it.

And what's this nonsense about Barack correctly pointing out that McCain and the rest of the White Supremacists and Racists are saying "oh and by the way he's Black"? Is that NOT what their entire argument is?
The fact is 450 years of Slavery,Oppression,Discrimination and Racism has made it so that many(Whites,Blacks and other Idiots) can't believe that a Black man can be as smart and as sharp and as genuine as Barack appears to be.Its because he's Black that he has to almost walk on water for these Idiots.The biggest fear is NOT that Obama will be incompetent and ruin the Country(and have inflation and gas prices and Govt. spending at the highest levels in the history of this Country like Bush has) no,its that Obama will do exactly what he's saying and promising he'll do making the MYTH of Black genetic inferiority a thing of the past.Idiots are more afraid of having to give up their White Supremacist belief system then they are of losing their Country.

I don't care anymore between Obama and McCain. They both show no innovation in politics and no risk taking for the common good. Just politics as usual. Makes sense--they're both senators...

But just finding out who's speaking at the DNC convention basically gives the Clintons and "3rd way dems" the COLD Shoulder, Hillary is hardly mentioned in the schedule and ... no Bill--Pelosi is pulling a power move and taking all credit, San Franscisco style, my friends. And Obama is her weapon of choice. Should be lots of gossip during the convention, no matter how boring and ad nauseam it'll be.

and additionally, I said I am voting for the guy...even if he has no moral backbone and is a political opportunist atleast he's not right wing. I have been a left-wing activist, pragmatically aligned with the Dems since age 13, in 1984. I volunteered for Jackson, Dukakis, Dinkins, Cuomo, Bob Kerry, Clinton, Mark Green, Elizabeth Holzman, Fernando Ferrer, Al Gore, Wesley Clark and flew to Fl on election day to work for John Kerry. I have been in multiple marches and protests because I BELIEVE IN SOMETHING. That, appartently is not the case for our candidate currently, but keep making rationalizations for him. Anyhow, I'm voting for him nonetheless- I just can't see volunteering for him so long as you immature know-nothings continue to insult my candidate of choice and anyone who questions the perfection of your diety.

Read the F-n context. Iowatreasure compared HRC to Hitler in a u-tube video. The commentary was specifically for her and people like her. There are people legitately for Barak and there are people who jumped on the anti-Hillary bandwagon. Anyone here still posting vigilent anti-HRC stuff falls in the second category. I would like an apology.

You are already blaming McCain for something he might do. This tactic was used by Obama in Jacksonville, oh by the way he's black. You are so hard up to find negative things to say about McCain, besides his age, it is ridiculous.

I am more concerned about the influence of Obama's mother on his world view. She was an atheist and taught her son to reject organized religion. She then abandoned her son when he was 14 and returned to Indonesia to work as an anthropologist.

The only reason Obama joined Rev. Wright's church was to get ahead as a community organizer and as a base to get into corrupt Chicago politics.

I think and hope that McCain is stupid and arrogant enough to try Hillaries losing strategy against Obama.What these Idiots don't realize is that everyone knows Barack Obama is Black(his wife is Black,his Pastor is Black his children are Black etc.)breaking the news that Obama is Black didn't work for Hillary and won't work for McCain.Also,lame is the claim that Obama is not "experienced" nobody believes or cares about that LIE.Also lame is the argument that Obama is an empty suit that he has no plan that he needs a teleprompter and if really George Bush(Dumb) that he's Black and therefore inferior or stupid or a puppet or Muslim or the Anti Christ or any of the other DUMB claims meant to appeal to people who are stupid and clueless.If they were to defeat Obama they would have to get him on the fact that he's Black and America is simply still a Racist Country that would rather go the way of the Roman Empire then to allow a Brother to save it and that ain't happening.

What is putting up a u-tube video of Hitler as HRC? If that was your post, You did in fact compare her to Hitler and that does in fact express ignorance- just because it is uncomfortable doesn't make it untrue.

Leon and Gookcbs, I have reported you to the op-ed of the Washington Post. Hopefully, they will read your nonsense and throw you off the boards. You don't deserve any consideration at all - you didn't give me any. gw.

Electric Bill and other commenters on this blog. I did not write anything about comparing Hillary to Hitler. There are one or more people on the Washington Post blogs that are using my name to say really stupid stuff and then putting my Iowatreasures name on them.

Do you know any way to report these people? I have forwarded a copy of the posts that they have been attributing to me to the Administrative Office of Washington Post. Any other ideas?

I think these Obama control freaks are a part of the 2700 Obama control freaks that Obama has paid for and turned loose on the internet to take down pages and articles and annoy people who don't like the Obama's.

Here is their last post about me:
--------------------------------------
IowaTreasures-

Comparing HRC to Hitler is both stupid and extremely offensive to the 1/2 of Dem nomination voters who wanted her to be the nominee- it also shows that your analysis of politics lacks any depth or understanding.

Then again, why should it, why not just jump on a bandwagon for the naked emporer, the empty suit who orates other people's words so well- but says vaguely nothing so that he can back out of well, everything:
FISA, energy policy, NAFTA/Trade, Iraq plans, death penalty, gun control, etc., etc.

You see, as an actual policy wonk, she had ideas and policies laid out for every one of the issues- most of them more progressive than those laid out by Barak- see health plan, see economic stimulus and, yes, see energy plan. But people so bent on hating her decided that we must nominate a glorified state senator with no record of doing anything instead. All the other candidates, minus Gravel were more qualified, and several were more progressive.

He ran a better campaign and took the nomination by politics- delegate seeking in caucuses and AA dominated states where his groups could dominate otherwise small electorates and preventing revotes in FL and MI. That does not make him the better nominnee. He did some pretty awful stuff during the campaign too. But he is our nominnee now and we are suppossed to be all on the same team.

Please stop showing your ignorance and lack of understanding of history or politics or your self-hating mysogyny. Stop hating on her and learn something about Barak. Your type make it hard for the rest of us to feel welcome in OUR Party- I have worked for the Dems since 1984 and supported Jackson in 88- if I wind up not feeling welcome, this will be my first non-volunteering election in 24 years.

The emperor Obama wears no clothes but everyone in the media is pretending that he is.

Obama used John Edwards to take away enough of Hillary Cintons delegates so Obama could win Iowa, get close in New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina.

Obama and John Edwards knew about the affair with Reille Hunter and the love child. They worked together to defeat Hillary Clinton. Edwards knew he could no longer be President or VEEP but his payoff was Obama's Attorney General.

The sad part is that the news media knew about the Edwards affair a for a year and protected him by keeping quiet.

The American voters lost because we had a candidate in Hillary that could have beaten McCain and would have been a good president.

Now Democrats are furious with the Obama camp for betraying Americans. Obama paid off superdelegates and he is still only a 5% lead over Mccain. Kerry and Gore had 14% lead by August.

In protest Democrats are voting for McCain in 2008. Why? Because Obama is the same dirty politics that the Republicans used to do to Democrats. Now Democrats are doing it to Democrats.

The difference between Hillary Clinton and John McCain is that Hillary Clinton had something to offer this nation. She would have made an excellent president and I would have been proud to have pulled the lever for her if she had gotten the nod, but she didn’t. I say this as a long time Obama supporter. I just think Obama represents the direction this nation should be taking right now.
McCain on the other hand has nothing to offer. That's the reason he has to go so totally negative. He is empty. He's like a punch drunk old fighter who takes a job as a greeter at a casino.

The Press has yet to pick up on the major defining story of the coming election which is that the Republicans have selected a candidate who lacks the maturity to be President in a world full of conflict. Its apparent from the way that McCain launched his offensive this summer that he is juvenile in his approach to adversaries and it would not be surprising for him to jump to a dangerous conclusion because he is not thoughtful or analytical. He may be a "maverick" but we dont usually let people who shoot from the hip manage large enterprises let alone the most powerful nation in the world. The Press needs to check out McCain's own web page to see that he is childish -- Paris HIlton's mom is right. What world leader would spend his time talking about his opponent as McCain is doing with Obama. The whole notion of an "Obama fan club" with references to "Dreamy eyes" sounds like McCain is surrounding himself with gay GOP staff. The Press needs to spend some time investigating what is going on with McCain. Why is he so obsessed with Obama's popularity, and is this the kind of man who can talk to Putin? Sounds like a girly man to me

The WAR PARTY has taken over BOTH parties. Hillary was their puppet just like McCain is their puppet. They don't like Obama because he isn't HAWKISH ENOUGH on foreign policy front and may not be willing to use American taxpayer money and American blood to further their political and financial world dominance.

And now some questions that will be asked of McSleaze:
Why did you take a marriage license while still married? That's a crime, you know.
Why did you lie in "your" book about the timeline on your sexual affairs and divorce and second marriage? What other lies have you told?
Why have you lied about your 3 years of making anti-American prop for Russia's ally NV?
Why do you continue to lie about how you "refused" to be released when the NV released other POWs whenever they wanted?
When you were making the anti-American prop were you rewarded, as people in Vietnam have said, with special treatment such as giving women for sex?
How many lobbyists and other prostitutes have you had sex with?
Are you having treatment for your suicide attempts still? What treatment?
Is your cancer stage 2 or 3? Your files are not clear?
When you went to the Bahamas all those times with Keating what did you do? Did you have sex with any women there?
Are the rumors of your violence toward women true? What about the harrassment charges that were dropped allowing you to resign from service?
Have you told other rape jokes? When? Why?
Does Cindy accept your continued cheating? If so, why?

Up your butt, Leon, you crazed liar. People against Hillary, or to be more exact, FOR Obama, are not misogynists. "Misogynist" means, hates women. Are you saying anyone not supporting Hillary hates women? Grow up, little boy.

I don't think you're even a Democrat. No Democrat would be so stupid as to screw up Obama's chances against a Dubya clone with the political courage of weasel. McCain is for eternal war, for large corporations, against people, a REAL misogynist who doesn't support women's rights to control her own body, a far-right wing christian, by his own flip-flopping words, in a time when crazed christianity is finally recognized as a symptom of an a-hole at best, and a religious terrorist at worse, like Pat Robertson, who wanted the State Department "nuked" because he didn't like the (black) Secretary of State, Powell.

How would the country have reacted if Jeremiah Wright would've said the same thing? Brainless hypocrites.

So Leon...go play with yourself. If you're old enough yet. And go collect that GOP paycheck.

Don't ya just love these media types who want to keep the rancor going among the Democrats. Plays right into McC's hands. May I point out to the Obama supporters. WE WANT THE HILLARY SUPPORTERS. Most of us would have voted for Hillary had she got the nomination. So Obama people - knock it off or are you Obama bashers just the regular right wing radicals.

And now in real news by real journalists:
More questions about a lobbyist who supports McCain
Lesley Clark | McClatchy Newspapers
last updated: August 12, 2008 08:14:36 AM

WASHINGTON — A key advisor to John McCain lobbied on behalf of a French liquor giant that partners with the Cuban government to sell rum — and which has been embroiled in a costly and controversial trademark dispute with Miami-based Bacardi.

Lobbyist disclosure forms suggest John Green since 2001 also lobbied on behalf of several bills that seek to relax the economic embargo against Cuba — a stance contrary to McCain's support of the embargo.

Campaigning in Miami in May, the Republican presidential contender told a crowd that before he'd entertain lifting the embargo he'd press the Cuban government to release political prisoners, legalize political parties and schedule elections.

The embargo, McCain said, "must stay in place until these basic elements of democratic society are met.''

The managing director of the lobbying firm that Green co-founded, however, said in an interview that the firm did not lobby for lifting the embargo. Stewart Hall said Ogilvy Government Relations' sole interest was protecting French liquor manufacturer Pernod Ricard's right to the trademark, Havana Club.

The French company, partnering with Cubaexport, a Cuban government company, sells rum under the Havana Club name in Cuba and around the world — but not in the United States, because of the trade embargo.

For more than a decade Bacardi has fought the company for the rights to the trademark it maintains was seized by the Cuban government; Pernod maintains the former owners of the trademark let its right to the trademark lapse.

"The embargo issue, that's not our fight,'' Hall said. "îOur fight is simply to protect our client's intellectual property rights for the day that they may be allowed to sell their product. When and if that happens is not our issue.''

He said his firm listed bills that call for relaxing the embargo on disclosure forms because its push to repeal a 1998 provision that essentially granted Bacardi U.S. rights to the Havana Club name often was tucked into bills that called for lifting sanctions.

A spokesman for McCain's campaign said the candidate's position on the embargo "is clear and consistent'' and that regardless, Green holds no policymaking role in the campaign.

Green took a leave of absence from Ogilvy in March and volunteers with McCain as the chief liaison between the presidential campaign and House and Senate Republicans.

Mauricio Claver-Carone, a director of the U.S.-Cuba Democracy PAC, which aggressively defends the embargo, said he had not come across Green pushing to lift the embargo.

"I never encountered him advocating for lifting the embargo or travel restrictions,'' Claver-Carone said, noting that a member of Congress would likely have alerted him if Green had worked the issue.

Pernod Ricard's chief USA lobbyist, Mark Orr, told a Capitol Hill newspaper in June that the company doesn't lobby to end the embargo with Cuba, but he acknowledged Pernod would like the opportunity to sell its product in the United States.

"On the first day [the embargo is lifted], we'd like to offer you this product that you can't drink today,'' Roll quoted Orr as saying. "It's very much about future competition."

I did support Hillary. Now that she lost the primaries, I support Obama.

I don't give a flying f--- how many great positions Hillary held. To allow these notes to be accessed by the McCain campaign shows complicity by the Clinton campaign to defeat Obama so Hillary can run again in 2012.

She's beginning to make me sick. She and her spitting-mean douchebag of a husband, whom I used to be a HUGE fan of. They both act like they want McCain to win. All of you still-rabid Hillary supporters: you deserve McCain. Too bad the rest of the country doesn't.

Comparing HRC to Hitler is both stupid and extremely offensive to the 1/2 of Dem nomination voters who wanted her to be the nominee- it also shows that your analysis of politics lacks any depth or understanding.

Then again, why should it, why not just jump on a bandwagon for the naked emporer, the empty suit who orates other people's words so well- but says vaguely nothing so that he can back out of well, everything:
FISA, energy policy, NAFTA/Trade, Iraq plans, death penalty, gun control, etc., etc.

You see, as an actual policy wonk, she had ideas and policies laid out for every one of the issues- most of them more progressive than those laid out by Barak- see health plan, see economic stimulus and, yes, see energy plan. But people so bent on hating her decided that we must nominate a glorified state senator with no record of doing anything instead. All the other candidates, minus Gravel were more qualified, and several were more progressive.

He ran a better campaign and took the nomination by politics- delegate seeking in caucuses and AA dominated states where his groups could dominate otherwise small electorates and preventing revotes in FL and MI. That does not make him the better nominnee. He did some pretty awful stuff during the campaign too. But he is our nominnee now and we are suppossed to be all on the same team.

Please stop showing your ignorance and lack of understanding of history or politics or your self-hating mysogyny. Stop hating on her and learn something about Barak. Your type make it hard for the rest of us to feel welcome in OUR Party- I have worked for the Dems since 1984 and supported Jackson in 88- if I wind up not feeling welcome, this will be my first non-volunteering election in 24 years.

Barack Obama is the embodiment of the American Dream. We are after all a nation of immigrants who want better for our children. He came from next to nothing and worked his way to editor of the Harvard Law Review. He was brought up by a single mom and his lets not forget Kansas White grandparents. Grandpa was a war hero.If this is not what we wish for our nation and we would rather vote in a silver spoon admirals son who excelled at screwing up then we deserve our consequences. I for one will do the right thing for America and vote for the guy who actually supports our troops and veterans surprise to some that would be Barack Obama.

I see some just can't let Rev. Wright go. They say he preached hate for twenty years. One sermon. If there were more sermons you would have seen more.

If they would have seen the entire sermon they would know the analogy Rev. Wright was giving was of old empires that did not do right by it's own citizens as well as the areas they concquered. God damned those empires..... God will damn all empires that sinks in moral decay. This is what the message was about. You who no nothing about charismatic preaching should go visit a place where a Black preacher is preaching... Before you make comments about a cutlure you no nothing about....

So according to Penn, any American born and raised outside the 48 states, who is multiracial, exposed to other cultures at an early age - maybe even speak an additional language to English - we are not really american? Well, if Penn believes himself to be "All-American" - god save us all. This is the 21st century - It's time for a leader who has a less xenophobic point of view.

I see Gooksdc is still here. Don't you have a life other than working for Obama Control Freaks that monitor the network shutting down pages and articles and comments that tell the truth about Obama. And I see you haven't used my name on this blog for stupid remarks - but now, I am sure you will. You have no sense at all. gw.

The Primary is a different campaign than the general election. Obama only had to woo the folks that run the Democratic Party (hard left). They would not have been influenced by Penn's strategy anyway. Hillary won in the states where it would pay off as might McCain. In the caucus states she did poorly. In the states that had primaries she did well. Penn’s strategy would have been fine in a general election. As an aside McCain’s ads are more funny than negative. This may appeal to the cynical youth especially as Obama fatigue sets in (who is this guy, why are we here, that was a pretentious thing to say …etc.).

Lets just split the country in half. I don't want to live with the likes of the Bushies and McCain's lies that got us into the debacle in Iraq and who have but all attempted to destroy our Constitution.

Republicans are terrified of Barack because he isn't like many of them. So what else is new. Republicans are banking their war profits tax free in the Caymans because they hid a tax break in the Homeland Seurity Act and one for the richest of the rich in a war appropriations bill. They devised this war, orchestrated it and Republicans lapped it up to go kill the bad Iraqis after Saudis attacked us. Iraq was armed by America from 80 to 88 to kill Iranians who we armed with F-4's in the early 1970's. It was, is and remains about oil and overthrowing governmentst to obtain it is illegal. Republicans chemically bombed Fallujah twice just before Christmas and then occupied the hospitals to control the civilian body count never released to the Iraqi Nationals and the world. These are war crimes and true and while Republicans tax us a billion a week to control this oil reserve, our economy is deflating like McCain's memory. Choose wisely.

My God. Could the Clinton group show themselves as being anything but revolting? Before, I didn't particularly like her, but I didn't DISlike her. Now, reading the above, her whole camp strike me as nothing but colossally xenophobic and colossally stupid. That she would employ someone like Mark Penn shows she's about as 'American' as the cigars her husband got off on. Seriously, is Penn mentally challenged? Questioning whether Obama is "American" enough in his roots and values because he's multicultural? What? Has Penn investigated his OWN family tree? Did he spring, deformed, from U.S. soil, fully formed and with no ancestors? All Americans have their "roots" in other countries. If this is the kind of intelligence Clinton surrounded herself with, no wonder she lost!

Why Balz drags McCain's name into this disgraceful episode perpetrated by Democrats, the party that calls itself the party of tolerance and diversity, is beyond me. It was a liberal Democrat who devised the plan to characterize Barack Hussein Obama as an outsider. Barack is clearly American to the core. So he belonged to the church where a Reverend Wright preached hate for America as a proper stance for African Americans. So he has been a friend of William Ayres and his mate, American terrorists who have never regretted their crimes. So Obama's wife believes the US to be a "mean" country. So Obama marched in Reverend Louis Farrakhan's Million Man March. Clearly Barack Hussein Obama is as American as apple pie. Poisoned apple pie.

It was a strange speech. His historical review was twilight-zonish,
and felt like a description of an alternative reality (somehow, in
the speech, there was missing a clear identification of the evils
fought in Europe by America, and a consequent drawing of moral
equivalences between the various regimes. Of course the venue made it
difficult to address this (but why?)). His "proud to be American"
message didn't quite ring true. His 'stirring' church-preacher
cadences at times seemed to be falling very flatly (like a tombstone)
on the audience, and were thus thankfully transparent.

EVERYONE -> Springtime for OBAMA and Germany / Deutschland is happy
and gay/We're marching to a faster pace/Look out, here comes the
Master Race/ Springtime for OBAMA and Germany/ Winter for Poland and
France/ Springtime for OBAMA and Germany/ Come on Germans, go into
your dance..........

Are you kidding me, look at the McCain site, he has no ideas, hes got a video about Obama for a faux Obama fan club. Who would elect McCain when he is such a juvenile? The big story of this campaign is that what John considers a "joke" demonstrates his high school maturity. We dont want an immature guy for president. Check it you read it here.

I am shocked at Hilary, I cannot believe herself and her campaign are so vindictive and destructive. Herself and Mccain are playing on the intelligence of the American people and I am so sick of it. November couldn't come any faster....

Bob II, maybe if you could write properly, people might actually read more than the first few lines of your absurd comments to discover just how vacuous your arguments really are. Microsoft has applications that can help you. So does Open Office.

We decry McCain's use of negative advertising, but look at all the name-calling in these posts. The fact is that while McCain DOES represent four more years of Bush policy, Obama DOES know nothing about leading a business, much less a country. We have to decide what's more important to us... getting away from the Bush policies, no matter what - or keeping another unknown out of office, no matter what.

Obama can't win the General Election because of Hillary and her supporters. They'll divide the Democratic vote so that there are not enough voters for either of them to win, and McCain will win by default. De fault of the Clintons.

Hillary's kitchen has never been in peace. There is no cook because all are cook chiefs. Hillary should be drasticly either gentlemanly or machievelian. Half way kills her and Dem party at the benefit of McCain. Disclosure: I'm no more with Dem.

Don't you dare tell me what to say. You've have more than five years to stop killing innocent people for oil contracts. You took every possible opportunity to defeat Obama by insinuation and false innuendos and it failed. This nation is in horrible shape, banks are failing, your rights are being stolen not unlike Iraq's oil and your principal concern is not being offended and getting cheaper gas. Perhaps if you didn't slaughter the chillen of those who price the gas, the price of gas wouldn't skyrocket but because it is just okey dokey to kill Iraqis for five years for Clinton supporters, the every once in a while you get your bloody, bloody cerebral cortex insulted. Doggone it!!

Bob II - Your sexual reference is vulgar and hypocritical. Moreover, no one likes to be told to "shut up" in a forum which is here to facilitate freedom of speech. Your angry insults are counter-productive and I would report you except that you provide a good example of so many other angry Obama supporters that I have encountered on these blogs since January. There are people like me that started liking Obama early on and then became disillusioned - and I'm looking for a reason to believe - but people like you make it that much more difficult for people like me. I wish you would start from the premise that everyone should be treated with a certain amount of humanity. And as for those people thinking Hillary is out to sabotage Obama, you really don't have a clue and I'm frankly tired of your false accusations. It’s not Hillary that is divisive.

Who is the worse anti-American enemy within than John McCain is? Osama bin Laden must be hoping that McCain win in this November so he can announce his retirement believing that McCain will completely destroy America. Don't forget that al Qaeda endorsed Bush in 2004.

The Republican Army was issued into the White House following the impeachment of Billy Bob. I am a liberal Democrat. Hillary lost because she thinks chemically bombing defenselesss chillen to steal their dead Daddy's oil is just okey dokey with Jesus, hence, Hillary is the loser. When America is given the choice of electing a Democrat or a Democrat who trys to think like an oil stealing Republican, the Democrat loses. Ask Howard Ford. Levin, on his way out, along with Feinstein, Nelson and a host of other conservative Republicans masquerading as Democrats. The Inquisition led by Ken Starr paralyzed this nation for years thanks to Billy Bob. You're not very bright and it's why you think you can kill defenseless Iraqi children and steal their dead Daddy's oil because of the color of your skin and nationality. Vote for Mr. Magoo who's 72 and keep murdering coloreds for their improvement.

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Even though Mark Penn wanted a much more negative campaign than the one Senator Clinton actually ran, her campaign ended up using race prejudice code words, too. And, now we have Senator McCain doing the same thing.

What I can not understand is why media jabbers like Mr. Balz skirt around the race prejudice issue. I am sure they understand when Senator McCain says directly or, indirectly that he is a better American than Senator Obama, it race prejudice.

What ignorant and foolish comments by those in their Obama coma. You need Hillary to win in November and the more you profane her with your immature remarks the more this Democrat will likely not vote for the inexperienced joke in November. When the liberals of the Democratic Party are in charge, they lose. And thank Pelosi, Kerry, Kennedy and all the liberals for this mess. Obama will lose.

Penn actually was onto something: can an African American be considered a real American? He cloaked it in terms of Indonesia and Hawaii (last I looked, a state, not to mention a place we entered WWII to defend), but really, all of the attacks on Obama center on, he's not a REAL American. Not his admittedly liberal policies (he's a mainstream Dem, and they're liberal, let's face it) but how he is different from the rest of us (and you know who "us" is).

That Clinton would take the same tack that McCain is taking merely highlights how much she had in common with McCain. Their styles differed, but their worldview is identical. (So, basically, is Obama's, but his worldview never comes up, other than as an accusation that he, again, is not one of us.) I am so glad she lost: neither she, her husband or their supporters have shown me any indication that they are possessed of the maturity requisite in wielding the levers of power. They _do_ seem, however, totally willing to destroy their enemies (i.e., anyone not their sycophant) even when their own position is lost (that a Clinton official would slander Anne Kornblut simply because she accurately reported the campaign had problems is at once amazing and so in keeping with the candidate's modus operandi, just ask John Edwards).

Anyway, I guess we'll find out whether an African American be considered a real American. The Bush Administration has so trashed the GOP brand that Obama cannot lose on policy. He can't lose on Iraq, he can't lose on the economy, and he sure can't lose on health care or personal liberties and freedom. He can only lose on an innuendo-based campaign not dissimilar to the one McCain himself ran afoul of vs. Bush in 2000. But I'm thinking, as far as McCain is concerned, the gloves came off when Obama repudiated the campaign financing pledge.

I just wonder whether this country could recover from an innuendo-based campaign that led to a black man's defeat. Consider how bitter Dems were after Florida in 2000, then cube it. This country endures because 99.9999% of us are invested in it; we're not devoted to its violent overthrow. Less than 20 people caused 9-11; if everyone's not on board that THIS election is on the up and up, you're going to have thousands of embittered people who consider themselves disenfranchised. There would be h@ll to pay.

In spite of occasional signals to the contrary, Hilary Clinton has made it abundantly clear by her actions that she prefers a victory by John McCain and a continuation of the Bush agenda to a victory by Obama. Although that's her right and it would potentially position her to challenge McCain in 2012, her Machiavellian qualities disqualifies her from ever receiving my vote for president.

Posted by DMH: What and who are the REAL Americans? Ask the Native Americans what they think? We are so arrogant in this nation!

------
Speaking of ignorant, did your know that Native Americans are not native either. They immigrated from Asia about 13,000 years ago. Let's start calling them Asian-American, shall we?

I think there is a lot of truth to the comment that America isn't so much a country as it is a club of former non-Americans and their children. We are all the REAL Americans, DMH. Everyone one of us. I dare you to tell me I'm not.

Hillary Clinton is a loser whose old man was impeached for dragging little girls across the American flag in the Oval Office so shut up. I am a liberal southern Democrat and I am sick and tired of Hillary's army licking their PMS. You lost, too damn bad. Now if you're stupid enough to think Iraq is a threat to you, you kill your own children for Iraqi oil contracts and you couldn't care less the caps are melting then vote for a racist, delusional lying piece of crap who chemically bombs chillen for oil contracts and jokes about slaughtering Iranian children so psychopathic American parasites can fetch up a market economy from the Mideast, then VOTE for Mr. Magoo, who's 72. Do it today but whatever you do, shut up!

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Ironically it was the Obama campaign that decided to go dirty against Hillary. Remember "Billary". Remember the comment that for the last 15 years we've had no good ideas from the president, lets not forget labelling Bill Clinton a racist. Give me a break. This is just another example of trying to bash Hillary Clinton for something she didn't do.

Ironically it was the Obama campaign that decided to go dirty against Hillary. Remember "Billary". Remember the comment that for the last 15 years we've had no good ideas from the president, lets not forget labelling Bill Clinton a racist. Give me a break. This is just another example of trying to bash Hillary Clinton for something she didn't do.

McCain can do anything he likes--he'll still lose the election. He's a cranky old man who thinks military solutions are the ONLY solutions.

If he wants to go negative, let's talk about how McCain cheated on his disabled wife and eventually dumped her for a younger woman. Let's talk about the Keating Five scandal which McCain was a part of. Let's talk about the DHL deal McCain helped orchestrate, which will likely cost Ohioans thousands of jobs. Let's talk about the fact that John McCain has been on just about every side of every issue since he started running his "dignified, respectful" campaign.

John McCain is a total phony. He has no business running for president.

Even before Josh Green's excellent article published last night over at the Atlantic, I saw that the McCain campaign had decided to take over where the Clinton campaign had left off.

To attempt to 'define' Senator Obama, Senator McCain went back on his word to the American voters to run a 'respectful' campaign.

Today on cable news (CNN) Senator McCain showed up at his 3,000 person (large for him) to the music of "Rocky"....

Gee, wasn't that the theme that Hillary Clinton used? At least, Senator Clinton outlined WHAT SHE STOOD FOR; whereas Senator McCain is too busy attempting to define his opponent, instead of DEFINING SPECIFICALLY WHAT HE WILL DO FOR AMERICANS AND FOR THE COUNTRY. Senator McCain's website does NOT even have developed plans and positions outlined on a variety of concerns to our country.

Poignant words my dear neo-naz... I mean neo-con. You are proof that this country is slipping backwards into some sort of hillbilly "Git-R-Done" type of mentality... so go ahead and be proud of your ignorant, cousin-cornh0lin' train of thought. Boy all those tax breaks going to the rich sure helped pay for your education.

We do not have to worry about McCain being "hemmed in". he is running a reckless/racist campaign. to claim he is the American candidate is to imply the Obama is not American. I have been watching these races for 48 years. I have never heard a more bigoted claim against an opponent. It is consistent with McCain's claim that Obama would lose a war to win an election. Unfair, extreme, incredible. McCain will lose this election.

Still looking for any evidence in the polls that McCain's ads are having the desired effect. Obama has held steady through the barrage at 47% in the RCP average. If anything, there may be some backlash, with McCain's numbers sliding lately

There are some really sad statements on this blog. Like the blogger who mentions the "type of name" an American is suppose to have. What the heck was that? Then the blogger who says "they are lining up the excuses for a lost this Fall", citing one of the excuses to be racism. I guess he/she did not read the blogger who commented about the "type of name an American is suppose to have".

I feel Senator Clinton is trying to quietly derail Senator Obama's campaign by allowing these memos and e-mails to leak out to the press to be published. It covers up the fact she was not just giving them to the McCain campaign for their use and assistance. Lord knows John McCain's campaign needs all the help it can get. She has already provided the McCain campaign sound bites from the primaries, sound bites I feel she did on purpose BECAUSE SHE KNEW SHE WOULD NOT WIN THE NOMINATION. She and the former President are preparing for 2012. IF, and that is a big IF, Senator McCain wins setting up a Senator Clinton run in 2012, she will lose and finally, Americans and her RABID supporters will finally see WHY SHE WAS NOT THE BEST candidate to nominate. I also think this leaking of John McCain only wants to serve one term, plays right into the hands of a Clinton 2012 run for the white house. Some new candidate, democrat or republican will rise out of the ashes and defeat her. Think people, think. The real candidate is running here and now! Make the decision that IS BEST FOR AMERICA, not the emotional one running through your veins now.

Hmmmm, a better question is, why is the Atlantic Monthly publishing this junk now? What could their motive be? Noticed today that the stories concerning the honorable John Edward's inability to keep his zipper zipped, have abruptly grown quieter, another hmmmm.

Why hasn't anyone really researched how the Obama campaign/supporters gathered quotes from both Clintons which could be and were, twisted and manipulated by the Obama-loving media to make the Clintons appear racist and insensitive? This was given little attention last winter when Obama was confronted about this little fact during the Nevada debate. Many folks have observed at how adeptly Obama and his henchman have played the race card, this panderer was guilty of this only recently.

If people are naive enough to believe that Obama did not go negative during the primaries, I suggest you research the archives of each state's prominent news sources - I do expect readers will be enlightened. Just remember who has been advising Mr. Obama.

Here's to a coup at the Democratic National Convention, may the corrupt DNC be slapped in the face. HRC 2008. NoBama, NoWay!

There are some really sad statements on this blog. Like the blogger who mentions the "type of name" an American is suppose to have. What the heck was that? Then the blogger who says "they are lining up the excuses for a lost this Fall", citing one of the excuses to be racism. I guess he/she did not read the blogger who commented about the "type of name an American is suppose to have".

I feel Senator Clinton is trying to quietly derail Senator Obama's campaign by allowing these memos and e-mails to leak out to the press to be published. It covers up the fact she was not just giving them to the McCain campaign for their use and assistance. Lord knows John McCain's campaign needs all the help it can get. She has already provided the McCain campaign sound bites from the primaries, sound bites I feel she did on purpose BECAUSE SHE KNEW SHE WOULD NOT WIN THE NOMINATION. She and the former President are preparing for 2012. IF, and that is a big IF, Senator McCain wins setting up a Senator Clinton run in 2012, she will lose and finally, Americans and her RABID supporters will finally see WHY SHE WAS NOT THE BEST candidate to nominate. I also think this leaking of John McCain only wants to serve one term, plays right into the hands of a Clinton 2012 run for the white house. Some new candidate, democrat or republican will rise out of the ashes and defeat her. Think people, think. The real candidate is running here and now! Make the decision that IS BEST FOR AMERICA, not the emotional one running through your veins now.

I'm sorry, but I love it when people pull out the word socialism, as if the word itself implies complete government control and our falling in line like good little commies. There are varying degrees of socialism and SURPRISE, most of Europe has shown that it works to some extent. Oh, but those crazy tree huggin' Europeans are so spineless... they're all homo anyways. Do we not realize that we cut ourselves off at the legs to begin with?! We could be so much better with a dash of socialistic policies with plenty of capitalism still in the mix. That said, none of Obama's planned policies are overtly socialistic and perhaps you red-scare McCarthyists could read a little up on that rather than believe everything you hear.

The thing about Obama is simply this: the more people get to know him the less they like him. He has a lot of negatives and the only thing he really has going for him is the fact that George Bush is still President. Hillary ran out of time; the primary was over by the time voters began to draw a bead on Obama. That won't happen in the general.

America is supposed to be about truth and honesty. why the media is not calling out McCain about his liars. The media is doing disservice to this great nation of ours. The media failed us on Iraq and chances are they are going to deny us the good governance we deserve from the next president.

I see, the media is already making excuses as to why he will lose in November. The Democrats need to get serious and choose serious candidates. Obama is just a smoother, more exotic version of Gore and Kerry: another out of touch, socialist liberal.

Real Americans have names like Smith, Clinton, McCain, McConnell, Baker, Bush and Simpson. Some people aren't real Americans, but we need them to win elections so they've earned their place and so names like Cohen, Shapiro, Lieberman and Goldstein now qualify.

What do the rest of these immigrants with Mexican and other funny sounding names like Lopez, Takwanda, Tanesha and Obama want? How could they let that unpatriotic Lopez Lomong carry the American flag at the Olympics, I'd never vote for him if he ran for class president.

GOP Republican McCentury McCain is a weak nominee who lacks the intelligence to receive the 3:00 am call.

Americans are tired of corruption from McBush and his super rich Wall Street Robber Barons.
Stop Corporate Welfare.
Stop CEO Welfare.
Stop Millionaire Welfare.
Stop the rich from outsourcing American jobs.
Stop giving Golden Parachutes to the Rich for outsourcing American jobs.
Stop the Rich from using Our Public Offices for Private Ill Gotten Gains.
Stop the Rich from stealing Our National Treasury.
Stop the Rich from eroding Our Constitutional Rights
Stop the Rich (McBush, Cheney, Rice, McCain) from selling Our America to Saudi Arabia, China, India) in the name of outsourcing American jobs, selling American Banks, selling bulk shares of key American corporations.
Nationalize the American Oil Industry for National Defense, if you love America.
America is not for sale now or ever.

Super capitalistic privileged C students with no business running hotdog stands illegally place themselves, their rich friends, and their rich family members into the highest positions of OUR COUNTRY to maintain, promote, and expand their ill gotten wealth at the expense of Average Americans. Do you still think that lieing GOP Republicans are patriots? I think not.

Greed and stupidity are destroying Our Country and it must stop.

America must get back to moral decency, family values, respect, honor, scholarship, and service to the general Public.

America is about Public Service and not private greed.

Change is happening and America, Europe and the World welcome cooperation.

Out with GOP Republican Wall Street Robber Barons.
In with the U.S. Constitution and the American People.
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

We The People Are Voting For Harvard Scholar, Irish-American, and Constitution Law Professor Barack Obama.

"They were mean to us."
"They're racists!"
"They lied to everyone and distracted them otherwise everyone would have voted for Obama."

Grow up, kids. This is the big leagues. The reason Obama will lose is that the majority of America is not comfortable with an inexperienced naif - with socialist policies to boot - leading this country in a time when the world is very dangerous and we need sensible solutions.

But by all means, make up all the excuses you want. Maybe you can even start a Web site to list them all.

queenie gave a new word for our lexicon, the hillary, or to pull a hillary. now generations to come will refer to complete and abject failure ithrough incompetetence even though one has all the advanatges. Used in a sentence. "This account is ours to lose. So let's stay focused and not pull a hillary on this one." or"The home team was undefeated and favored to win, but they made so many mistakes they lost the big game. Yea. they sure pulled a hillary." ah hahahahahahaha thanks for the amusement clintie clowns. Hillary Clinton is a loser

Unfortunatley there exists in this world dregs like "AB68" who refuse to see people for who they are but who they think they are. Their judments are based on some dullusional sterotype that undoubtedly has been passed down from their uneducated parents. Although they generally choke down their racism, this issue is something they can't swallow. A half black man holding the highest office in the WORLD.

Funny how many people want to blame Republicans for all the problems? Where was oil when the dems came to power in Jan of 2007 (about $50 per barrel). Oh, and how many dems voted against the war authorization (23 vs. 29 Yea votes including Reid,Bidden,Clinton,Kerry and other Dem leaders). Also, the range of unemployment rate for Clinton's 8 years (3.9-7.3) vs. Bush's (4.2-6.3)Either have a logical argument, if you are smart enough or realize you are just spewing more hate. I hate dumb people with their 5 second sound bites.

For some set of reasons, or conditions, smear tactics have become perilous to their user in this cycle. Against this remains the tendency for us to decry negativism yet demonstrate that it "works" by suppressing votes and BTW making it more difficult for the survivor to govern.

One difference of this cycle: the huge increase in virtual participation by volunteer surrogates (notably posting to sites provided such as this one). Blogs and posts circulate opinions and leap critically or contagiously onto breaking news, including and particularly spurious news.

Yet unless and until a compelling backlash is widely seen to have contributed to a user's defeat, and probably even after this, we are bound to have dirty campaigning, especially that which contrives to leave no fingerprints. And candidates, including Obama, will deem it impossible to disarm unilaterally.

It is sort of sad that the best McCain can do is recycle Hillary's failed campaign strategy. Obama's lead in the Gallup tracking poll is up today. It seems that the negative campaign is not getting traction.

McCain's only chance to win is by being highly negative of Barack, following the examples of Bush I twenty years ago and Bush II four years ago. Fearmongering, distortion, guilt by association are the trademarks of Grand Oil Party political campaigns.

The only persons who would benefit from a McCain presidency are the same who have benefitted from the Bush-Cheney regime, the wealthy, corporations, military-industrial complex and neo-cons who seek global hegemony for a neo-con dominated national government.

Dan Froomlin has an interesting column about the conflict between Russia and Georgia. He quotes numerous individuals, who contend the Bush administration has consistently hostile to Russian national interests and tried to weaken Russia, but only succeeding in needleeely provoking Putin. The Bush administration has been waging a new cold war against Russia, which McCain will certainly intensify.

Only fools, neo-cons, right wing fanatics and greedy employers will vote for McCain.

Okay,
to all the children of immigrants, born in this country, Greek, Italian, Chinese, East-Indian, Mexican, Columbian, German, Dutch descent etc., etc., all of you with your 'exotic' backgrounds. Even if your passport says you are, YOU ARE NOT AMERICAN.
Harold and Kumar go back to Guantanamo Bay where you belong.
McCain and Clinton are REAL Americans, salt of the earth.
You ARE NOT!

McCain has nothing to lose. He can go through the motions, return to his Senate seat and let Obama try to fix in four years what Bush has destroyed, an impossible task for a corporate Democrat. Keeping Ralph Nader out of the debates keeps relevant issues off of the table, issues both candidates fear- like impeachment of Bush.

More pabulum from Balz.
1. If BHO were, say, from Austria no one would have any hesitation at all at portraying him as lacking roots in American values. He clearly does lack such roots, they just can't be mentioned in polite society.
2. Considering his long line of lies, misleading statements, and incredibly faulty policies, BHO wouldn't even be in the race if the MSM were doing their job. Instead of junky "how to run the horserace" posts like this, Balz should ask policy experts to point out all the problems in BHO's policies.

If anyone wants to do the job Balz and the rest of the MSM refuses to do and pick up $1000 just by asking a question, see this:

The problem with negative ads is they can bring down your opponents positive poll results, but they do nothing to help raise your own positive ratings. McCain has the problem that he has endorsed the Bush agenda virtually 100% on the economy and foreign policy. The American voters are sick and tired of that agenda and unless McCain can show he has a different view on something more than just global warming, he is never going to get more than 42 to 45% of the vote.

Penn is right, McCain is using this strategy, and Hillarly Clinton didn't embrace it, if she would have she would have won the nomination. She took the high road and she lost because of it. Thats ok, alot of us respect her for that decision.

Personally, after the Obama campaign opened the dirty pool with their laughable accusations of racism agains Bill, I would have used Penn's strategy and won the nomination. But hey if there is one candidate here who wants to reduce everything to a sound bite it is Obama, thats how he could ignore the work of Bill Clinton on behalf of people of all colors and call him a racist.

Republicans have us at war in two countries as a result of Republican lies and deceptions, and we might be in two more wars--Iran and Pakistan--by November. We have alienated the entire Muslim world and most of the rest.

The dollar has lost 60% of its value against the euro, and the once mighty dollar is losing its reserve currency role.

The Republicans' policies have driven up the price of both oil and gold by 400%.

Inflation is in double digits. Employment is falling.

The Republican economy in the 21st century has been unable to create net new jobs for Americans except for low wage domestic services such as waitresses, bartenders, retail clerks and hospital orderlies.

Republican deregulation brought about fraud in mortgage lending and dangerous financial instruments which have collapsed the housing market, leaving a million or more homeowners facing foreclosure. The financial system is in disarray and might collapse from insolvency.

The trade and budget deficits have exploded. The US trade deficit is larger than the combined trade deficits of every deficit country in the world.

The US can no longer finance its wars or its own government and relies on foreign loans to function day to day. To pay for its consumption, the US sells its existing assets--companies, real estate, toll roads, whatever it can offer--to foreigners.

Republicans have run roughshod over the US Constitution, Congress, the courts and civil liberties. Republicans have made it perfectly clear that they believe that our civil liberties make us unsafe--precisely the opposite view of our Founding Fathers. Yet, Republicans regard themselves as the Patriotic Party.

The Republicans have violated the Nuremberg prohibitions against war crimes, and they have violated the Geneva Conventions against torture and abuse of prisoners. Republican disregard for human rights ranks with that of history's great tyrants.

The Republicans have put in place the foundation for a police state, which they have no problem using against fellow citizens!

We must get the Republicans totally out of power, or we will have no country left for any of us!